§ Mr. LANSBURYasked the Postmaster-General if the Peel Connah Telephone Company, of Salford, are carrying out work for his Department at a new telephone exchange in London; and, if so, whether this firm are employing telephone wiremen at the rate of 7d. per hour, although the rate for men of this trade is 9½d. per hour; and, if the facts are as stated, whether he will take the necessary steps to compel the firm to pay the trade union rate?
§ The POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Mr. Herbert Samuel)The company are carrying out work for a new London telephone exchange. The rate of 9½d. appears to be that shown by the Board of Trade as the standard time rate for electric fitters and wiremen, but I am assured that the wiring work in a telephone exchange does not require the same skill and is not of the same class as that of power and light electric fitters and wire-men for whom presumably the rate was fixed. So far as I am aware there is no standard rate for telephone wiring work, but I will make further inquiry into the matter and will communicate with the hon. Member.
§ Mr. LANSBURYWould the right hon. Gentleman be willing to receive further particulars from the trade union concerned?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELYes, Sir; I shall be very glad indeed to have any further information.
§ Mr. BOWERMANMay I ask if it is customary to recognise as fair a firm which on other classes of work pays unfair wages?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELNo, Sir. My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade stated a year or two ago that if a firm was a notoriously bad employer it would not be retained on the list of Government contractors, even although the wages paid to the workmen engaged on a Government contract were strictly in accordance with the Fair-Wages Clause. But I have no information before me which would lead me to conclude that this particular company falls into that class.
Mr. POINTERMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether his Department could see their way to adopt the same attitude as corporations, namely, to insist that trade union wages should obtain throughout the whole of a contractor's employment, whether the work is being done under Government contract or not?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThe attitude of the Government was declared on the occasion of the debate. I do not think we should be justified if we had a very small contract with some large firm in investigating all the conditions of employment in that firm's factories, and insisting that in every particular trade union wages should be paid for other work.